


a brush of fingers, a kick of shins

by lesmiserablol



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Firelord Zuko (Avatar), First Kiss, Flirting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25003222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesmiserablol/pseuds/lesmiserablol
Summary: “Okay, I’ve been thinking all day, and here’s my idea,” Toph tells Zuko on their way to dinner. “You’re so sure he’s not into you, so I’m going to help you out and give you a gentle nudge every time he flirts so that you notice it.”“Okay,” Zuko says slowly. He doubts it will be necessary, he and Sokka have been best friends for over five years now and that is probably all that Sokka thinks of him as. A good friend. “I don’t know if it’ll come up, but if it does...just don’t make it obvious, yeah?”“Don’t worry, I have a plan,” Toph smiles. Zuko knows her fairly well, he knows he should be worried at that, but he just follows her into the dining hall.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Comments: 88
Kudos: 1867





	a brush of fingers, a kick of shins

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this idea on tumblr and then immediately knew I wanted to write it. Shout out to everyone who, when I asked if they wanted a modern au or a story with Toph kicking the Fire Lord, requested the latter.

Palace guards have been protecting Zuko for as long as he can remember. As a child, as a banished teenager when he had his crew, and now as the Fire Lord. They had saved Zuko from multiple assassination attempts in the years following his coronation, so they know when to step in and take the Fire Lord away from a situation. 

But they also learned five years ago, soon after the events on the day of Sozin’s Comet and the prince’s return to the Fire Nation, that Toph Beifong gets to punch the Fire Lord on his arm whenever she wants. 

The first time it happened, two guards immediately seized Zuko by his arms and pushed him back before standing in front of him, shielding him from the 13 year old blind earthbender and whatever other vicious attacks she might unleash. 

Before Toph could even react - and oh, was she going to react - Zuko moved to her side. “Stand down. She gets to punch me as often as she likes, understood?” 

Toph had beamed widely toward the guards at that, and the guards had exchanged confused looks but listened to their Lord. It took a few more of her visits to the Fire Nation for all the guards to get used to it, but what would have ordinarily constituted detainment for assaulting the Fire Lord becomes for Toph just a normal greeting. 

Which is why the guard at the door doesn’t even flinch when Toph stomps inside the library that afternoon and punches his upper arm a little harder than normal. 

“Hey,” Zuko scowls without looking up from the notes in front of him, rubbing the spot where her fist had made contact. 

“Hey.” Toph claims the seat next to him at a table, taking his protest as a greeting. Zuko isn’t sure if it’s intentional or not, but with her he knows that both are entirely plausible. “You didn’t tell me Sokka was coming.”

“Is he here?” Zuko asks, immediately standing up and knocking an ink pot onto one of the scrolls in front of him in the process. The guard moves as if to get a servant, but Zuko stops him with a wave of the hand and cleans it up himself. He’s just glad the scroll in question was one of the few blank ones on the table that did not yet have any important information.

“No, dummy. Lai told me,” Toph scoffs. “She said he should be arriving in a few hours, yeah?”

“Oh, you’ve been talking to Lai again?” Zuko asks, his smirk evident in his voice. Lai is the daughter of one of the royal chefs. She is a year older than Toph, and is already training to take over for her mother when she retires. Zuko had first introduced Toph to her when they went into the kitchens for a late night snack months ago, and since then he has caught them spending time together on multiple occasions.

Toph punches him again. " Shut up,” she says, but there is a slight blush to her cheeks. “Don’t change the subject.”

Zuko wants to point out that she is also changing the subject, but he knows a losing battle when he sees it. “Yes, Sokka is coming today.”

“Good, I’m glad it all worked out,” Toph smiles in satisfaction, sitting back in her seat. 

Zuko frowns, confused, and sits down again. “What worked out?”

“I had someone send him a letter, saying he should visit the Fire Nation this week while I’m here.”

“You did what?” Zuko’s eyes widen, knowing exactly where this is going. 

“Now that all three of us will be together, I can finally prove to you that he really does like you.”

Zuko groans, hiding his head in his hands, his elbows propped on the table. “I can’t believe you. I thought we were letting that go,” he sighs. 

“Letting what go? The fact that he clearly feels the same way about you and you are too stupid to see it?” Toph laughs. Zuko is suddenly very aware of the guard hearing this entire conversation go down, but he doesn’t have it in him to be embarrassed about it anymore. Between all the visits from Sokka and all the pep talks from Toph, he’s pretty sure they have all figured it out. Whether or not it’s a topic of gossip between them, he doesn’t really care right now.

“I never agreed to letting it go. I’ll let go when you two finally get together,” Toph finishes. 

“You are the worst.”

“I love you too. You can thank me later.”

* * *

Toph spends the rest of the day doing what she does best. She uses her earthbending to spice up the garden with new additions. She eats an obscene amount of fire gummies. She teases Zuko about his crush and pretends to be annoyed when he turns the table on her. She tries to hype Zuko up for talking to Sokka. And when Sokka arrives in the city shortly before dinner, Toph looks way too smug every time they flirt with each other in passing. 

“Okay, I’ve been thinking all day, and here’s my idea,” Toph tells Zuko on their way to dinner, grabbing his arm to stop him. He turns to face her, the light of the torches on the palace walls making her skin appear golden. “You’re so sure he’s not into you, so I’m going to help you out and give you a gentle nudge every time he flirts so that you notice it.”

“Okay,” Zuko says slowly. He doubts it will be necessary, he and Sokka have been best friends for over five years now and that is probably all that Sokka thinks of him as. A good friend. “I don’t know if it’ll come up, but if it does...just don’t make it obvious, yeah?”

“Don’t worry, I have a plan,” Toph smiles. Zuko knows her fairly well, he knows he should be worried at that, but he just follows her into the dining hall. 

If Zuko didn’t know Sokka so well, he would be suspicious that his friend only became close with all of the kitchen staff so that they would make him his favorite foods whenever he visits. He knows better than that though, is aware that Sokka is sincerely that friendly with everyone. And if it means there are always delicious meals during his stays in the palace, that is just a bonus. The table is laden with platters of dumplings, noodles, rice, and several different kinds of meats. Zuko admires everything as he takes his usual seat at the head of the table. If it weren’t for the nerves that always cost him his appetite during the beginning hours of Sokka’s visits to the Fire Nation, he could easily eat a good portion of everything in front of him. 

“Relax, it’ll be fine,” Toph mutters, sitting at the chair on his left, and Zuko is about to ask her what she’s talking about when he remembers that she can detect how his heart is thundering in his chest. 

“Right,” he says, taking a deep breath as Sokka strides in the open door, having changed out of his traveling clothes. The guard in the hallway closes the door behind him and Zuko feels himself relax a little. It's nice to take a break from being Fire Lord Zuko and to have time alone with his friends to be...just Zuko.

“Hey, hot stuff!” Sokka greets, smiling at Zuko.

Zuko can’t hold back the smile that breaks out over his own face, and he opens his mouth to reply-

_ Kick.  _

His expression falters as he winces from the heavy blow at his left leg, glancing at Toph to question her, but he stops when he notices how she’s smiling innocently in his direction. 

“Hi Sokka,” he says after a brief, confused pause. He doesn’t need to tell Sokka to sit, he automatically takes the chair on Zuko’s right side and looks at the food eagerly. 

“This is what I’m talking about! A proper Fire Nation welcome,” he says, rubbing his hands together in anticipation before grabbing the nearest dish of smoked sea slug. “I looked forward to the food almost as much as I looked forward to seeing you again, Zuko.”

_ Kick. _

Zuko turns to Toph and opens his mouth. She’s still smiling sweetly, and his mouth closes slowly. 

( _“Don’t make it obvious,”_ he had said. _“I have a plan,”_ she had told him.)

Zuko blushes as he realizes that he still needs to respond to Sokka. “I looked forward to seeing you too, Sokka.”

Sokka’s eye twitches but his smile softens before turning back to the table. 

“I’ve missed you too, Sokka,” Toph says loudly, and Sokka laughs. 

“Oh, you know I miss you Toph, but not in the same way I miss Zuko,” Sokka tells her. 

_ Kick. _

If Toph is going to kick him every time Sokka flirts with him, either Sokka will stop flirting and he won’t have to worry about it, or he will keep getting kicked. Which would mean...Sokka is flirting with him... 

He’s not entirely sure which option he would prefer. 

(That’s a lie. He would much rather be kicked, thank you very much.) 

Zuko starts loading his own plate. One of the many things that he appreciates about Sokka is that they have similar taste in food, and although his stomach is still churning nervously, he helps himself to a few of the dumplings that they both love so much. There is comfortable silence for a few minutes as they all dig in, and Sokka’s occasional moans of pleasure ( _ kick _ ) after particularly delicious bites distract Zuko just slightly. 

“Zuko, can you pass me those spices?” Sokka asks, pointing at a small bowl. Zuko does, and Sokka’s fingers brush against his. He wonders if he is imagining it, or if their hands linger in that position longer than is necessary. 

_ Kick.  _

Okay, so he wasn’t imagining it. 

He feels himself blush as he pulls his hand back, turning his attention back to his plate. 

“You know, when I first came to the Fire Nation, I couldn’t stand all these extra spices. But now, I love them.” Sokka pauses thoughtfully and glances at Zuko. “One of the many things I came to love about the Fire Nation.”

_ Kick. _

Zuko reaches down to discreetly rub his shin. If Toph wasn’t blind, he would be glaring daggers at her. A little voice in the back of his head reminds him that this means Sokka is actually flirting with him. 

His heart rate picks up. 

“I’m glad you think so. There are many things to love about the Fire Nation,” Zuko says. “I myself have certainly come to appreciate the Water Tribe more than I had before.”

“Anyone in particular?” Sokka grins, then blushes. “I mean, anything?” 

_ Kick.  _

Zuko watches Sokka take a large bite, noodles hanging outside of his mouth, and he smiles. “Oh, you know. The sights from the Water Tribe are unbeatable.”

“The sights are from the Water Tribe, or in the Water Tribe?” Sokka asks around his mouthful of food. 

_ Kick.  _

“Perhaps a bit of both,” Zuko shrugs. 

Sokka laughs. 

_ Kick.  _

Zuko winces. This is getting to be more painful than he had anticipated. He turns his attention to his left in hopes that the kicking will decrease. 

“Toph, what are you planning on doing while you’re here?” 

“I’m going to talk to the person I have a big gay crush on and finally admit how I feel,” she says bluntly. 

Sokka chokes on his drink. Zuko sighs. The redirection tactic worked as well as he should’ve expected. 

“Nice plan, Toph,” Sokka laughs. “Inspirational.”

_ Kick.  _

“I think I’ll take Lai to the festival in the city that’s happening in a few days,” Toph hums. 

“That sounds cool,” Sokka says, smiling at his plate. 

“Maybe you should go with me, Sokka,” Zuko says quickly. 

“Yeah?” Sokka looks up, his tone hopeful. 

“Yeah,” Zuko says softly, breathless at the sparkling blue in Sokka’s eyes. He will never ever get tired of staring into Sokka’s eyes, he decides.

Toph clears her throat loudly. “What are you going to do while you’re here, Sokka?”

“Uh,” Sokka finally looks away from Zuko. “I...I don’t know. The usual, I guess. Spend time with Zuko.” 

_ Kick.  _

“You don’t have to, I’m sure you can find something better to do with your time,” Zuko says, feeling his face heat up. 

“I don’t think I could find something better if I tried,” Sokka answers ( _ kick _ ), his voice painfully sincere. “And even if I did, I would always choose you.” 

_ Kick.  _

“Will you stop that?” Zuko barks suddenly, glaring up at the ceiling in frustration. He and Sokka had been having a moment. As much as he loves Toph and as many times as he has promised her to not stop being her friend just because he has Sokka, he’s not so fond of her aim at the moment. 

His outburst is met with silence, and now Toph is tapping his leg gently, desperately, to get his attention. He looks back down at his guests to see Sokka staring at him with wide, hurt eyes. 

“I’m so...I’m so sorry, Zuko, I thought...I don’t know...I’ll just-“ he stammers, shakily pushing himself away from the table and rushing out of the dining hall. The door closes behind him with a thud and Zuko blinks at the spot where Sokka had been seated just moments before. He turns to Toph. 

“What just happened?”

“It seems like he thought you were telling him to stop flirting,” she winces. 

Zuko sighs. “Well maybe that wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have to tell you to stop kicking me every five seconds!”

“That’s the point!” Toph raises her voice. “He’s flirting with you every five seconds! Don’t you get it?”

Zuko is shocked into silence. “He likes me.”

“Of course he likes you! And you like him, too, so go fix it!” 

Zuko doesn’t need to be told twice. He stands up quickly and leaves Toph to finish her dinner in peace. 

When he runs into the hallway, he looks around quickly and makes eye contact with the guard standing by the door. 

“He went that way,” she says, pointing down the right hallway. 

“Thank you,” he says, rushing off immediately. The long hallway branches off into smaller hallways and large rooms, and as he walks he turns his head wildly in search of Sokka when he spots a familiar blue-clad figure pacing in front of a window. 

“Sokka,” he breathes. 

Sokka glances at him, and Zuko’s heart breaks to see him like this. Just moments ago he had looked confident, laid back, happy. Now he looks hesitant, vulnerable, worried. 

“Listen, Zuko, I’m sorry about everything I said-“

“Sokka, please listen to me. I’m an idiot. A foolish, oblivious idiot. I was so focused on my own worries that I couldn’t see how clearly you were trying to hint that you like me in the same way I like you,” Zuko explains quickly. “As in, more than a friend,” he adds lamely.

Sokka’s jaw drops, staring at Zuko in stunned silence for several moments. “Oh. Then why-?”

“I was talking to Toph when I said to stop,” Zuko says. “She has been trying to tell me that you like me back but I’ve been doubting her so she took things into her own hands. She kicked me every time that you flirted with me tonight.”

Zuko lifts his clothes to show Sokka his leg, covered in several marks where Toph had kicked him all over his shin. Against his pale skin, they are already turning into bruises. 

Sokka bursts into laughter. “I am so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Zuko says, covering his leg again. “It took me this to realize what you’ve been doing for so long.”

“Well, don’t worry, you’re not the only oblivious one,” Sokka admits, exposing his own shin for Zuko to see the marks there. There aren’t as many, but Zuko can still identify them against Sokka’s darker skin. “I only agreed because I didn’t think you would really flirt with me.”

Zuko’s mouth drops. “You mean...she did the same thing to you?”

Sokka nods, and Zuko shakes his head and laughs. "We are so dumb." 

Sokka laughs with him, but then it fades away and his expression softens. “I love you, Zuko."

“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that,” Zuko says, his heart feeling like the fireworks at the Fire Days Festival. “I love you, too. Can I kiss you?”

Sokka nods eagerly, taking a step closer to Zuko. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Zuko closes the distance between them, meeting Sokka’s lips in a soft, slow kiss. His hands rest on Sokka’s waist, and Sokka’s hands slide up his arms before one rests on his shoulder and the other finds Zuko’s hair. Zuko’s mind is racing, struggling to believe this is real when he has imagined this moment for so long. But he’s sure of it - the taste of dumplings on Sokka’s lips, the smell of sea salt from his journey, the feel of his cold skin against Zuko’s own warm skin. Everything about it feels so real, and so perfect, and Zuko never wants it to end.

When they do pull apart, they don’t put much distance between them, meeting each other’s eyes and smiling. 

“My leg kinda hurts,” Sokka frowns thoughtfully, and Zuko laughs, still breathless. 

“We’re going to get back at Toph for this,” Zuko rolls his eyes. 

“You know, I can’t really find it in me to be mad at her right now,” Sokka hums, his fingers playing with Zuko’s hair. “Dumbass guys call for desperate measures.”

Zuko rolls his eyes and brings him back in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> For the record, it took 13 kicks before Zuko had enough. Sokka got away with only 6 kicks.
> 
> I love the Kyoshi warriors and I love that they became Zuko's guards but I didn't include them here because y'all KNOW they wouldn't just stand by for years of flirting and not do anything to set up Zuko and Sokka.
> 
> Anyway! I have a [main tumblr](https://lesmiserablol.tumblr.com/) and an [Avatar the Last Airbender blog](https://bisexuallsokka.tumblr.com/), come say hi or send me fic prompts or headcanon requests <3


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